RA MFA: TRUST AND ACCOUNTABILITY CAN GUARANTEE DURABLE SECURITY IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
29.09.2009 13:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ We are going through a truly challenging period,
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said in his address to
the 64th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

"This year we were all devastated by the impact of the financial
crisis. The crisis did not leave a corner of the world or an economic
sector untouched. Many countries in the world experienced unprecedented
economic decline seriously challenging the hard-earned advancements and
the prospects for reaching the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Armenia was not void of the dramatic effects of the on-going financial
crisis. However, the Armenian government did its best to safeguard
the socially vulnerable. No cuts in the budget were made in the
social sector.

We believe that our endeavors must be guided, first and foremost,
by the need to mitigate human costs of the crisis in order to avoid
serious consequences on human security. We believe that an equitable
global recovery requires full participation of all countries,
irrespective of their size and level of development, in shaping
appropriate responses to the crisis. And we have to come together here,
in this universal body, to take decisions that help us overcome the
past and build future because there are still painful gaps between
our people’s dreams and prospects.

United Nations funds, programs and agencies, in accordance with their
respective mandates, have an important role to play in advancing
development, in accordance with national strategies and priorities,
to achieve the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals.

We understand that these goals for which the deadline set is the year
2015, will require enormous efforts to achieve. The General Assembly
will continue to address this issue during its sixty-fourth session,
and Armenia is ready to contribute to the process of preparing for
a high-level meeting in September 2010.

We embarked on ss of UN reforms in order to reflect the present world
in this fora and to enhance its capabilities and effectiveness in
addressing modern challenges. Armenia commits itself to strengthening
the institutional capacities of the United Nations, supports the UN
reform processes and is ready to bring its contribution.

We were successful in agreeing on several vital decisions, creation
of Peacebuilding Commission and Human Rights Council among others. We
aspire to further advance the human rights protection in conformity
with the obligations of member-states, and we see an honest discussion
on outstanding issues and sharing of experience on how to overcome
them within the Human Rights Council as a true path to success in
this respect.

We regard the principles of Prevention of Genocide and Responsibility
to Protect as the key principles, cornerstones of the overall human
security system. In this respect we commend the report of the Secretary
General on "Implementing the Responsibility to Protect", which charts
a course for the United Nations to prevent genocide, war crimes,
ethnic cleansing through bolstering the capacities of the Organization.

As it is rightly stated, in the Report, genocides do not happen all
of a sudden. The instigators propagate intolerance and hatred, setting
grounds for violence. As survivors of genocide, we, Armenians welcome
all efforts to prevent and combat racist and xenophobic attitudes. We
have been and will be doing everything to provide for a continuous
advocacy for prevention of genocide. The international community
must be vigilant over the development of such situations and events,
and demonstrate its ability to act timely to prevent future tragedies.

We consider the goals of disarmament and non-proliferation major
elements of global and regional security systems. We must shoulder
the responsibility and work not only towards non-proliferation
and elimination of nuclear weapons but also towards elimination of
militaristic aspirations of some states. It is totally unacceptable
wh ve the conflicts through military means are made on the highest
level, and those are left unabated by the international community…

Trust and accountability among neighboring states are guarantees
for sustainable cooperation and durable security in the region. We,
in the South Caucasus, have yet to report on that. Our region,
in fact, is among the most sensitive hot spots on the world’s
political map overloaded with almost a full set of security threats
and challenges. The region is devastated by conflicts and interstate
tensions, dividing lines and economic blockade. Closed borders and
ruptured ties have become the norm of life. However, a courageous act
and a courageous response hold the promise of changing the situation
to the better.

The process of the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations
that started by the initiative of the President of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan last September, known as "football diplomacy," promises to
bear fruit despite all difficulties.

Over the past year with the help of our Swiss mediators and other
international partners we have advanced towards opening one of the
last closed borders in Europe and normalization of our relations
with NO preconditions. We wish to be confident that the necessary
political will can eventually leave behind the mentality of the past,
and we hope that the wisdom and courage will prevail to make the last
decisive steps.

We have been most encouraged by the support of the international
community. We are well aware of the fundamental and positive
implications of the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and of
the opening of the border for the security and stability of the region.

We must reinforce the bridges between UN member-states, working
out mutually beneficial and comprehensive security and cooperation
schemes. And our common objective should be the shaping of an
environment that is safe and prosperous for all.

To meet the political, economic, environmental and social challenges,
we have to put our efforts, resources and political tion together. Only
together we can withstand these challenges and push ahead the
international development agenda," the Minister said.